Edinburgh Zoo

Set in 82 acres of sloping parkland, the Zoo is situated three miles to the west of Edinburgh city centre.

Apart from getting close to over 1,000 rare and endangered animals, there are many different ways to enjoy your day out. You can experience a busy programme of educational events and activities – ranging from keeper talks through to hands-on animal encounters – and a wide-range of eating experiences, several play areas and a fantastic gift shop.

Facilities for Car-Free Visitors

Arriving by Foot

The Zoo is directly across the street from the bus stop (if coming from Edinburgh City Centre) accessed via a pelican crossing. If coming heading into the city centre, the bus stop is just past the Zoo on the same side of the road.

Nearby Walking Routes

Local Cycle Route 9 is also an excellent walking path which connects in to extensive off-road paths in the west and north of the city. It can be accessed by walking towards the city centre along Corstorphine Road for a short distance and turning right onto Pinkhill and then left at the sign to Route 9, or by walking away from the city and turning left into the narrow Traquair Alley just past Silvan House, the Forestry Commission HQ.

The John Muir Way crosses Corstorphine Road a bit further along towards the City Centre at Balgreen Road (heading up into Corstorphine Hill at this point). There are also several walking trails on Corstorphine Hill.

The Water of Leith Walkway is nearby at Roseburn Park (next to Murrayfield Stadium) and can be taken down to Leith or in the other direction to Balerno.

Arriving by Bike

An easy route which is predominantly flat and on quiet residential roads and off-road paths. The last few metres is on a shared pavement along the busy Costorphine Road.

Nearest cycle parking

There is cycle parking directly outside the main entrance to the Zoo, at the bottom and to the right of the stairs (at street level).

Cycle carriage on trains

Haymarket station is served by local, regional, and intercity ScotRail trains which usually have four cycle spaces. Some electric trains have no or only two spaces but allow cycles to be stored in the doorways (on the right side of the train). Bicycles do not require reservations on ScotRail services to Haymarket except for trains to/from Inverness and Aberdeen. Bicycle reservations for these services can be made by contacting ScotRail telesales on 0330 303 0111 or visiting a station ticket office. Full details are contained in the ScotRail Connections Guide.

Haymarket is also served by long-distance trains operated by CrossCountry, TransPennine Express, Virgin Trains East Coast, and Virgin Trains West Coast. These operators carry between two and six bicycles and require a reservation, which can be made by contacting the train company or visiting a ticket office.

Nearby Cycle Routes

Several excellent longer-distance cycle routes are nearby including National Cycle Routes 1 and 76 and the John Muir Way as well as many local off-road routes. The Local and National Cycle Routes lead to and across the Forth Road Bridge, connect into the extensive North Edinburgh cycle path network, and provide an off-road path to Edinburgh Park and the western edges of the city.

Arriving by Bus

Directions to the Bus Stop

After going through the ticket barriers at Haymarket, take the exit on your left, signed for buses and trams. The bus stop is across the tram tracks outside this exit.

This information was believed to be correct at the date of publication of this website, 23 June 2015. We would encourage users of the site to check the public transport information presented above before setting off.